


as thick as a brick

by itaruchi



Category: A3! (Video Game)
Genre: Attempt at Humor, F/F, F/M, Mutual Pining, Other, banri just gets threatened quite a bit, happy bday taichi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2020-10-12
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:13:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26960461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itaruchi/pseuds/itaruchi
Summary: in which taichi (and the reader) are oblivious dumbasses who pine for each other.
Relationships: Nanao Taichi/Reader
Comments: 2
Kudos: 33





	as thick as a brick

“It’s so unfaiiiiiiiiiiir!”

Taichi whined for the tenth time within the past ten minutes. You’d started idly counting as you listened to him rant on about how his popularity. It wasn’t a new speech to you – God knows how many times you’d heard the same thing over and over again since you’d befriended the puppy.

This time, he seemed to be genuinely upset, even comparing himself to others in the theatre like Tenma, who he’d witnessed be confessed to four times within a school day – _when it wasn’t even Valentine’s_ , he kept stressing to you, _only something like that happens in Muku’s shoujo manga!_

“I thought after MANKAI got a good rep, I’d be popular too!”

He began to roll around on your bed in anguish again – he’d roll around for a short period of time, then stop to complain some more – you had come to learn that the kid was hilariously terrible at multitasking – then roll again until he reached your spot on the floor. You sat with your back against the bed, and occasionally you would see Taichi’s arm reach over your shoulder to grab a potato chip to stuff in his mouth. Then he would roll again whilst chewing aggressively. At one point you had to interrupt his rant,

“I swear to God, if you get even a crumb on my bed, I’ll end you.”

For the most part, you were just listening and nodding along to his monologue.

“Seriously, why am I not super popular yet?! I haven’t even gotten a girlfriend!” He flopped back onto your pillow, an arm covering his eyes. “Y’know what, even guys! Anyone! I don’t care! There’s not a SINGLE person interested in me!”

“Maybe there are people interested in you, but they’re too shy to say.” You comment, from your place on the floor. Adding wordlessly to your reply, _or that you’re too oblivious to ever notice when someone has a crush on you._

So maybe, just _maybe_ , you had a small crush on Taichi. Just a tiny one. The teeniest crush you could fathom. It’s not like you fought off people to get front-row seats at every Autumn Troupe play, or that you felt yourself melting whenever he finds you waiting for him backstage and gives you the brightest smile imaginable –

Okay, so maybe, just _maybe_ it developed into a massive crush where your heart thudded painfully in your chest whenever he showed any small sign of affection towards you, his best friend.

It’s not like you were being subtle about liking him – you were sure every person in the theatre knew about your crush on him, minus Taichi himself. Banri had even offered to tell Taichi about your feelings himself, since you “ _seemed to be too much of a coward to do it yourself._ ”

Taichi sat up bolt-right in his bed, swivelling his head over to you. His eyes were wide as he stared back at you.

“R- Really?!” His cheeks flushing at the thought, “Being shy is cute! They’re probably intimidated because I’m getting so manly, hehe! I knew taking notes from the Autumn Troupe members was a good idea!”

But no, you were no coward. And you were going to prove it to him, and yourself. You still hadn’t forgiven him for that remark either, but you’ll get him back another day. He better sleep with one eye opened the next time you stay at the MANKAI dorm. 

“I wish they’d show themselves, if that was the case…” You pushed a hand through your hair, your gaze shifting from him and taking a sudden interest in the packet of potato chips in front of you.

“Maybe…” you swallowed. “Maybe there’s one of them in here. Right now.” There was a long silence, and you stood, wanting to leave the room as soon as possible as that had taken up all your courage. Risking a peek at Taichi to see his reaction – the boy in question was staring up at you in awe, a slight blush staining his cheeks. Your eyes met his and he seemed to snap out of it, jumping up out of the bed to clutch your hands.

“Woah! Th- That was a crazy smooth line! Have you been practicing?! Could you teach me how to sound that cool?”

Your heart was hammering in your chest. It felt like it was about to take off, and a small part of you wondered if he could hear it. There was a small silence, and his smile faded away. “Are you okay?”

“Y- Yeah! Aha. Ahahaha, yep, I’ve been practicing!” you attempted to laugh it off, sitting down on the bed.

“Wow, it was so convincing, too! You’re amazing!” There it was. The thing that gave your heart so much trouble. That smile. That damned smile.

“Ahaha… thank… you.” Could your cheeks stop themselves from becoming balls of flame? You were almost begging your blush to fade as you continued. “Why… Why do you wanna learn a line like that anyway? Is there someone you want to use it on? Someone you’re… interested in?”

Taichi yelped, his hands raising immediately in defence. “N- No! O- O- Of course there isn’t! Who would there p- possibly be?!”

You raised an eyebrow, and he continued rambling as his face turned as red as his hair.

“C’mon, would I not tell you if there was someone I liked? Of course I would! You’re just imagining things! _Buzz._ Oh, what’s that? I think… _Buzzbuzz._ I think my phone’s ringing!”

“You’re literally making the noises yourself—”

“No I’m not! _Buzzbuzzbuzz- briiiiing_. Yeah, see, there it is again! I really have to take that so… I’ll be right back!” His voice had gotten higher pitched as he spoke on, and it looked like his head would’ve exploded if he didn’t dash out of the room when he did.

After leaving the room. Taichi pressed a hand against his heaving chest, feeling his heart pounding against it. His mind racing about what you’d said before he’d embarrassed himself. There was no way you could be serious about liking him. … _Could you?_ No, it was more likely you found out about his all-too-obvious crush on you. Banri had kept making comments about how he’d seemed even more like a puppy around you, and the phrase ‘puppy love’ had been used too often in the dorm.

He couldn’t think straight, but he barely could when he was around you. For now, there were too many questions piling up in his mind that couldn’t be answered.

**Author's Note:**

> happy birthday taichi!  
> this is prolly super obvious but this was rlly rushed bc i had 0 idea how to end it and kdgbdj the idea was solid, the execution was not. (and sorry for the dumb hannah baker meme. i just had to do it to em)  
> i honestly dont know why i dumped on banri a lot but he prolly deserves it ngl ngfkjgbf  
> there might possibly be a part two? to this? because i have an idea for a part 2?  
> aa either way hope y'all reading it enjoyed!!  
> taichi is best boy!


End file.
